Dear Parishioners,

The Pastor and Board of Trustees are happy to announce that New York City entered Phase 2 of re-opening on Monday, June 22 nd , permitting churches to open up to 25% of its occupancy.

For St. Sarkis Church, this means we can have up to 50 parishioners in our Sanctuary starting on Sunday, June 28 th .

While in church, wearing a mask and social distancing will still be required.  Please remember to bring your own mask. We have prepared the Sanctuary, limiting the seating in order to observe the "6-foot rule".  We are also limiting entrance into church through only the front doors or Pagoumian Hall.  Please note that we will not be holding any fellowship hour at this time. 

Church services will continue to be streamed on Facebook. Click here to find the church's page on Facebook.

We hope to see you soon,

Prayerfully,

Fr. Nareg Terterian, Pastor &

The Board of Trustees of St. Sarkis Church

A READING FROM THE EPISTLE OF ST. PAUL TO THE ROMANS (9.30-10.4)

What then shall we say? That the Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have obtained it, a righteousness that is by faith; but Israel, who pursued a law of righteousness, has not attained it. Why not? Because they pursued it not by faith but as if it were by works. They stumbled over the "stumbling stone."As it is written:   

"See, I lay in Zion a stone that causes men to stumble   
and a rock that makes them fall,   
and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame."  
Brothers, my heart's desire and prayer to God for the Israelites is that they may be saved. For I can testify about them that they are zealous for God, but their zeal is not based on knowledge. Since they did not know the righteousness that comes from God and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God's righteousness. Christ is the end of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes.

                      ՊՕՂՈՍ ԱՌԱՔԵԱԼԻ ՆԱՄԱԿԸ  ՀՌՈՄԱՅԵՑԻՆԵՐՈՒՆ (9.30-10.4) 

Հեթանոսները, որոնք Աստուծոյ արդարութեան չէին հետեւեր՝ արդարացան, որովհետեւ Քրիստոսի հաւատացին. մինչդեռ Իսրայէլի ժողովուրդը չարդարացաւ Մովսէսի Օրէնքին միջոցաւ, որ տրուած էր մարդիկը արդարացնելու համար: Ինչո՞ւ: Որովհետեւ չհաւատաց Քրիստոսի, եւ կը կարծէր թէ Օրէնքին գործադրութեամբը պիտի արդարանայ: Ատիկա իսկ պատճառ եղաւ որ գլորին «գայթակղութեան առիթ հանդիսացող քար»ին վրայ, այսինքն Քրիստոսի, որուն համար մարգարէութեան մէջ գրուած է. «Ահա ես Սիոնի մէջ կը դնեմ քար մը որ գլորումի առիթ պիտի ըլլայ, ժայռ մը՝ որ գայթակղութեան առիթ պիտի հանդիսանայ: Բայց անոր հաւատացողը յուսախաբ պիտի չըլլայ»:  

Եղբայրներ, սրտանց կը մաղթեմ եւ կ՚աղօթեմ որ Աստուած փրկէ իսրայէլացիները, որովհետեւ կրնամ իրենց մասին վկայել թէ Աստուծոյ հանդէպ նախանձախնդիր են. միայն թէ այդ նախանձախնդրութիւնը հիմնուած չէ՛ Աստուծոյ ճշմարիտ ծանօթութեան վրայ: Անոնք չհասկցան, թէ Աստուած ի՞նչ ձեւով կ՚ուզէր արդարացնել մարդիկը. արդարանալու իրենց հասկցած ձեւին կառչեցան եւ ուստի չընդունեցին Աստուծոյ արդարութեան ուղին: Մինչդեռ Քրիստոսով Օրէնքը իր աւարտին հասած է եւ միայն Քրիստոսի հաւատացողը կ՚արդարանայ:

SAHAG AND MESROB: THE HOLY TRANSLATORS

The Armenian Church and the Armenian language have helped Armenians defeat existential threats. The Armenian language as a factor in national survival is second only to the conversion of the Armenians to Christianity and the establishment of a national church. Thus, language has played a dual role for the Armenians: first, as a medium of communication; second and more important, as a cohesive force for national survival.

The invention of the Armenian alphabet in A.D. 406 by St. Mesrob produced a linguistic tool as remarkable as the language for which it was devised. The Armenian alphabet was invented and used for the Armenian language alone. It was designed to be a perfect phonetic representation of the spoken language.

It is even more amazing that a large and noteworthy body of literature grew immediately, using an alphabet that was a completely new invention and not an evolution of an earlier alphabet. If the Armenian alphabet had not been a perfect instrument for writing Armenian, it would have been impossible to use it to translate the Bible and the many other works that marked the early Golden Era of Armenian literature in the fifth century.

On, July 2, the Armenian Church celebrated the Feast of Saints Sahag Bartev and Mesrob Mashdotz, the Holy Translators. The feasts dedicated to the Holy Translators are among the most beloved commemorations for Armenians. Sahag and Mesrob are honored two times during the liturgical year: as the leaders of the cultural movement, on the Thursday following the fourth Sunday after Pentecost, which is today, and on the second Saturday in October along all the translators. The visionary leadership of these two men who recognized the necessity of an Armenian alphabet changed the course of Armenian history. The two saints, Sahag and Mesrob, are forever linked in the minds and hearts of the Armenian people.

Requiems

-Ardzivian, Nenejian and Khatchadourian families request requiem service for the soul of their beloved brother, uncle and great uncle  HAROUT ARDZIVIAN (12th year memory service).

-Deacon Bedros Kalajian, Ms. Liana Oganesian and son Vrej, Mr. Armen Kalajian, Mr. & Mrs. Hovhannes and Sona Gebian and family, Mr. & Mrs. Gevork and Ani Kalajian and family, Ms. Sylvia Tirakian and family, Mrs. Noemi Megerian, Megerian, Atakhanian, Pogosian, Sakar, Azatian and Kesabian families request requiem service for the soul of their beloved father, grandfather, brother and relative  ALEX KALAJIAN (4th year memorial service).

-Ms. Arev Sarkissian, Dr. Siroun Yessayan and Ms. Ani Yessayan request requiem service for the souls of their beloved brother and uncle  BEDROS YERVANT SARKISSIAN, beloved sister and mother  ARSHO TOUCHIG YESSAYAN and beloved father  ANTRANIK YESSAYAN.

-Ms. Nairy Sarkissian and Ms. Margaret Sarkissian request requiem service for the souls of their beloved cousins  BEDROS YERVANT SARKISSIAN, ARSHO TOUCHIG YESSAYAN and ANTRANIK YESSAYAN.

-Mr. & Mrs. Sarkis and Mary Ohanessian and family request requiem service for the souls of their beloved cousins   BEDROS YERVANT SARKISSIAN, ARSHO TOUCHIG YESSAYAN and ANTRANIK YESSAYAN.

LIGHT A VIRTUAL CANDLE